The language of Kinship "Niece's"

 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; And let them say among the nations, "The LORD reigns."1 Chronicles 16:31

The sky is deep grey, and we hear the steady beat of raindrops. The weather seems appropriate since I’m thinking about the symbolic rain we are facing in today’s life. My milk to maturity has taught me many lessons, but most of all, I’ve learned what it means to have God’s umbrella in the storms of life.

 “Therefore, let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God”

Hebrews 6:1

“Niece’s Poem”

Many Moons Ago I adored each of you as a youthful Uncle

My Nieces you are “Embraces” that Rains on my memory of “Happy Life” 

Brings a simple Smile to my reminiscence “face” 

A Smile that’s my “Umbrella” like a Rainbow

 Imagine if I was given one twinkling of that umbrella Now

Just a single “shielding” from today’s World

Such a peaceful sound of rain of many cheerful events 

I could feel the rain, so close forever, and that moment would always Stay fresh

Yes, life is hard. Troubles rain on all of us. Some of you may be old enough to remember that many moons ago, Ella Fitzgerald and the Ink Spots had a hit entitled Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall. In Today’s world we are being hit with all kinds of sufferings and we might say that too much rain has fallen into our space. I know that I would declare the same: Back pain, blisters arrived, old age invaded my life, memory is fading . . . What can I say? 

It is definitely raining hard in our life today. Yet, we must remember that God is always there for us, always showing us unfailing love. We have the assurance from Jesus that He will be with us to the end of the ages. We know that God’s faithfulness is great because we see new mercies every morning. So, we don’t need to let rain deters us. All we need to do is just pull out a raincoat, of memory’s simple times.; wearing a hat, boots and go on as God rains in his garden that needed a gentle soulfulness and smell, even during Thunderstorms-mere loud noise; No beauty petrichor sustains; thanks, my nieces like flowers as we remember we are part of God’s Plan. We will heal up in heaven, with his own cure-all

God Bless You and This Ministry!

Have You the Audacity!

 “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you”. Romans 8:11

It is hard to drive anywhere in Metro Denver without seeing some expression of support for the Denver Bronco’s these days. Amid the outbreak of fan (and yes, fanatical) support, it provides a great time for us to talk about having the compatible spirit of sports with Christianity.

The Apostle Paul says bodily exercise is of some value (1 Tim. 4:8) and then he calls us on to even more, by pursuing godliness like we would a prize.

So, should Christians have the “Audacity” for Christ like big sports fan? The answer is, I believe, yes.

This means, If the Spirit be in us, Christ is in us. He dwells in the heart by faith. Grace in the soul is its new nature; the soul is alive to God, and has begun its holy happiness which shall endure forever.

You and I are called to be different from the world around us and we are given practical instructions on how to do this. Paul writes, ‘Let us not be like others. Dare to be different. “So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober”.1Thessalonians 5:6

I dare You! It has been a thousand miles from nowhere since my partnership with Christ. Ten thousand, nine hundred fifty days of inspiration, motivation depression, empowerment, confusion, sorrow and wisdom. At first, I used to worry about making decisions for God. I used to be afraid to step out on faith and declare I was going to do something new. I’d think, “What if I fail? What if no one likes me? Or speak to you” Then one day, I found out it wasn’t my power that was going to carry it out anyway, it was God’s. So why not be intentional and seek the kingdom of God daily? 

I’m reminded of a story, “A young woman brings home her fiancé to meet her parents. After dinner, her mother tells her father to find out more about the young man. The father invites the fiancé into his study. “So, what are your plans?” the father asks the young man. “I am a Bible scholar,” he replies. “A Bible scholar. Hmm, “the father says. “Admirable, but what will you do to provide a nice house for my daughter to live in as she’s accustomed to?” “I will study,” the young man replies, “and God will provide for us. And children? Asks the father. How will you support children?” Don’t worry, sir, God will provide, “replies the fiancé. The conversation proceeds like this, and each time the father questions, the young idealist insists that God will provide. Later the mother asks, “How did it go, Honey?” The father answers, “He has no job and no plans, but the good news is he thinks I’m God.”

Proverbs 11:14 says “Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.” Now, it is time for us to place all of our spiritual energy into action. As Jesus speaks to you, this is my challenge. It is difficult to put a challenge on paper. I would rather look you straight in the eyes and say, I dare you!”. But in my mind, I have imagined that I am on the bottom of a seesaw looking up at you saying: “see and hear the voice of Jesus on our daily walk with him and speak to people, pray for them and find something good to do in your 100-foot circle of pre-Christian as well as friends and neighbors.

Ephesians 4:1 says “Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called. “I dare you to be so bold to develop the enduring qualities of Jesus. I urge you to see the bigger picture as Apollo did; to be very knowledgeable, but willing to be taught 

by someone lesser than he. I challenge you to make our worship home a centerpiece for love, ministry and outreach beyond a building. Revisit and set out boldly in spite of the odds to become, a purpose driven community of believers, one that is God honoring. Reimburse yourself and turn a deaf ear to any negative talk and to any worldly excuses; step to the plate and be led by the Holy Spirit. Having the courage to put on the new self and rediscover our missional dedication, through Bible study and prayer, like Daniel.

Daniel’s motto might have been:” Always do what is right no matter how much it may cost.” I challenge you to become totally involved and not forget the Fruit of the Spirit; becoming so strong in the word daily; “And you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth.” This power is essential for the challenges of an ever-expanding witness, with Christ to others.

 Acts 1:8 Jesus answered and said unto them, “Ye Do Err, Not Knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.” (Matthew 22:20) Be rejuvenated and build new relationships within the community becoming alive with possibilities and think outside the box. “Have You the Audacity!”

God Bless You and This Ministry!

“Change on a Whim”

 When big changes come in life we often find it unsettling! This has always been the case with humanity.

“For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Do all things without grumbling or disputing,”Philippians 2:13-14 

Philippians 2:13-14 explains how Christians ought to live, considering all that Christ was willing to do for them. God makes His own both willing and wanting to do His work. This has to do with confidence in God’s work in God’s church. If we submit to God’s will, He will work in His own inimitable way. The word “works” in the Bible is always used supernaturally and of effective action. God’s work will not be frustrated. God will affect the result. The idea of “disputing” includes arguments and quarrels. Those who serve the Lord should not be known for arguing, but for humble service. 

Have you ever had a problem with organizational trust and the word “Change” I’ve been impulsively in recent times at not giving them my complete thought or even a little smell of tolerance. Yet, putting to death,my human nature has been difficult and trying to tell the difference between being wise about those words and just forgive don’t begin to tell the story of my overly self-protective fresh sadness or concern. I find myself in recent days reluctant to be supportive to any extent or even try to defend “change”, but wisdom tells me to do some introspection and, pray, asking God to heal my wounded heart toward this adverse pessimism. 

Knowing the idea that we have “put on the new self” is a conviction that strengthens our repentance resolve. We’re putting on the new self “which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator” Colossians 4:10. Now that is a glorious thing to believe. The battle I’m fighting with the weeds in my spiritual garden is something God is working in me as I work on it. I am reminded every day that the Bible is the Word of God written to His people and, as such, it contains everything we need to be “complete” (2 Timothy 3:15-17). Part of the “everything” we need is comfort. So why doesn’t the organizational world, comfort me/us? Love on?

You see dealing with disapproval is nothing new. Since Adam and Eve were first banished from the garden, life has been hard and we have been complaining about it (Genesis 3:23). It is the nature of sinful humans to live for ourselves and to complain when our desires are not being met (Galatians 5:19-20). We tend to argue for our “rights,” demand our way, and oppose anyone who disagrees with us. That combination results in a general spirit of unhelpfulness to the world and life in general. It is understandable if those who do not know Christ are negative. They have no hope of anything beyond this world and its confusion. But negativity in a Christian’s attitude means he is refusing to see life from God’s perspective. When we join in with hostility, pride, and complaining, we are reacting the same way unbelievers do. 

Unfortunately, God’s people are often just as guilty of negativity and grumbling as those who do not know God and that is where I become perplexed and need time to reconcile. I just don’t like being treated like a “mushroom”.

We often forget Jesus’s words, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Change can be one of the most stressful things in life, even when the change is anticipated. Challenge to change is natural to human nature. Can a person be in a spiritual pothole? Have you ever wondered why you haven’t grown divinely? Are you covering the same ground in your Christian walk? Do you wonder why though you are learning about Jesus, you are not living like him? Are you saying to yourself, “I’ve been a Christian for years, but I don’t feel any closer to Christ today than I did years ago?” The Bible talks about life transformation and we hear others tell how their lives have changed. For many of us we desperately want to change. But we see so little of it personally. Why? Perhaps part of the problem is some faulty assumptions. You know, a family member of mine used to say, “The translation of the gospel that most people read is the translation into daily living.” How do these weeds affect your relationships when, “Change on a Whim” happens?

We face change as we mature, as our bodies age, and as we interact with the world. We also know that change, in the Christian life, is desirable. In fact, it is God’s plan for us. He makes all things new (Revelation 21:5) and the old is dispensed with. We want to become more like Christ; we want to change. Second Corinthians 4:16says, “Inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” When we submit to God, good change happens. So how do we overcome our resistance to change?

We can lessen our resistance to change by keeping a divine perspective on life. You see character qualities are also fruits of the gospel. They describe our responses to other people’s actions, attitudes, and words Such as humility, patience, forbearance, and forgiveness.

God’s work of renewal in us is compared to that of a refiner’s fire (Zechariah 13:9; Malachi 3:2; Isaiah 48:10; 1 Peter 1:7) and to a gardener’s pruning shears (John 15:2) The process of refining or pruning tends to be unpleasant, so we resist. But the outcome of a refiner’s fire is purified precious metal. The result of pruning is a more plentiful crop. If we trust that God is at work through changes and that His desire is to sanctify us, then we may more willingly submit. This perspective is what brought Job peace in Job 23:10. 

The one thing that never changes is that everything except God changes! Because God doesn’t change we can be at peace when everything else around us does. God works in our changes to move us forward, never backward. In every change we can be sure God is planning for our good, moving us closer to Him. In this way we can not only embrace change but also welcome it. Faith and greater obedience go hand in hand; we trust God’s promises, and He has promised to reward us accordingly with joy, peace, and comfort, intangible things that the world can never supply. 

God Bless You and This Ministry!

“Claim Your Meagerness”

My House can take it

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13

First of all, Corinthians 12 talks about spiritual gifts, which are distributed by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:4). Thus, one Christian may receive one type of gift while another receives a different gift. Chapter 13 goes one step further and mentions the three gifts that are common for all Christians: faith,hope, and love. Verse 13 says, “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

In stating that faith, hope, and love remain, Paul does something interesting and unexpected: he uses a singular verb for a compound (and therefore plural) subject. His statement in 1 Corinthians 13:13 could be literally rendered “faith, hope, and love remain.” Paul’s point is that, essentially, faith, hope, and love are united; what happens to one happens to all. And what happens is that they “remain.”

God chose to create man in His Own image, as an expression of Himself, and he expresses Himself differently through each individual that he has created. Each person represents God in a different and unique way. God's creation would be a less rich expression of Himself were even one person missing. He knew each one of us, and loved each one of us even before the dust of the universe formed our solar system. The hairs of our head were already numbered. He knew our thoughts, strengths, and weaknesses before anything was. You and I are very special in the heart of, and the plan of God.

And, we are all different. In all of the earth, nobody looks exactly like you, thinks exactly like you, is talented exactly like you. Search every nation, and your DNA will not be repeated. 

 Now it’s the start of October, the leaves on my maple tree are just beginning to get a little color. Autumn is upon us. I pulled three leaves from that sturdy shade tree that gives me so much comfort all summer, took a picture of them, and put them on this page. Click the picture to the left, and then the negative image to the lower right that reveals even more detail. Notice the infinite differences between these leaves, from size. to color, to veins, to markings, to points and indentations. These leaves, and thousands more from the same tree are all different. And so, it is with us. No two individuals are the same. And yet we have the same priceless value to God, and have that value no matter who we are, no matter our economic status, point in life, weight, stature, or our proclivity to stumble. God knows all about us, some of which may even disgust us, and yet loves us with a longing that never ends. 

Just recently my wife and I had a conversation about friends, neighbors and relatives who have died in the last six months. We grieved partly because each person’s fondness was relationally connected individuality; based on the uniqueness of a loving God, caring for people; which for us is part of the essentials for life. Think about it, friends are an important and wonderful part of life. In college, a former coach would often tell me, “Two things will most influence where you’ll be at ten years out of college: the books you read and the friends you make.” He added, “Choose them both very carefully!” Of course, that was long before Facebook came into existence, where you can “friend” just about everything and everyone you want without touching them with a “New Song”. Being a friend to the friendless is not a task we do. Well the truth of being a friend to the friendless is a soul-deep transformation, which compels us to surrender our lives side by side next to Jesus steps full of his character. Be prepared, because accepting this truth is also accepting the narrow road with many questions:

Do you Believe this is one of the greatest causes for unhappiness in our world today? Makes me wonder, “are we missing more healthy relationships that God intended for us to experience”? Which makes me think do, “the most miserable Christians live with a foot in both world?”

·       How can we be satisfied if our marriage relationships are unhealthy? 

·       How can we truly enjoy our relatives if we can’t get along with them? 

·       How can we enjoy our jobs if the relational climate at work is unhealthy? 

·       How can we love coming to church if people pretend to care about one another? 

·       How do we seek, recognize and respond to what Jesus is already doing in the lives of the people we are enjoying?

“Open your eyes and look, “for a reason

“Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. “Psalm 73:25 

Healthy relationships (perceived or your reality), canit be satisfaction? Can it be inseparable? It’s impossible to be satisfied if we are lonely...impossible if there is constant conflict...impossible if we do not feel valued or loved by those around us. Do you ever think back on your life and focus on some of the lowest emotional points and ask, “were the lack of Authentic? 

 relationships, the reason for the reason…that should be”? 

 No matter what becomes of us, no matter what we ever did, sometimes we think we can handle just about any circumstance even If our relationships are not right, “we fall apart fast”. WHY? Because just like the leaves we are infinitely different; we are designed for relationships! 

The conditional love of a parent, relative or friend is an awesome thing to behold. And yet, even that pales when compared to the God who knows us better than any human could, and still opens His arms to fold us in.

Whatever makes us unique, whether good or bad in the eyes of the world, does nothing to enhance of diminish the immeasurable love of God for us. Like a hound on the trail of a rabbit, he pursues us, draws us to Himself, enabling us to stand up and use our uniqueness to become what He intended. 

Claim your meagerness right now. Stop telling yourself that something about your uniqueness makes you less valuable than the next guy. You and I are unique. Accept the beauty of your uniqueness, and then--look out world. The next time you or someone else feels that your uniqueness is of little value, say "Excuse me, but do you know who my Father is, and who made me special?"

"Give me the heart to hear, Thy voice and will,

     That without fault or fear, I may fulfill

Thy purpose with a glad and holy zest,

     Like one who would not bring lass than his best"                
 

“To whom then will you liken Me That I would be his equal?" says the Holy One.” 

Isaiah 40:25

Faith, hope, and love are the three gifts that will be ours throughout all eternity. And agape love is the ultimate gift. God in His goodness gives us the privilege of possessing these gifts today, and we look forward to having them remain with us forever.

Prayer: Father, show us every day the value of our uniqueness. We are ready to stand up and proclaim it, first to you and ourselves, and then to the world. Help us to see how we can use our special qualities to bless your world wherever we touch it to find people like this to serve. 

God Bless You and This Ministry!

Even Flow

“Thoughts Arrive like Butterflies”

Yet He will begin his life again!

 Night and day, we pray earnestly for you, asking God to let us see you again to fill the gaps in your faith. - 1 Thessalonians 3:10

What does it mean to have "gaps in your faith?"  The apostle Paul wanted to return to the new believers in Thessalonica to help "fill the gaps" in their faith.  I thought to myself, “What is he talking about?”

And here's the thing, we all have gaps in our faith.  We just need the right set of circumstances or times to reveal them. You see the believers in Thessalonica were suffering because of their professed faith in Jesus and at some point, they were excluded from social circles and or faced some kind of scarcity. It seems to be economic and some of them were beaten and /or imprisoned. 

Most people today would not have experienced anything like that but here’s the thing. We all have gaps in our faith. We just need the right set of circumstances to reveal them. The question is, "Would your faith as it currently exists be enough to hold up under any or all of things that make you suffer?"  It's hard to know that for sure unless the day in “reality” comes, but to groom ourselves for these moments we need other advocates, some of whom may have been tested in ways you have not, to encourage us and give us a point of view—to fill in our gaps. 

It isn’t always easy to speak correction to those we know are clearly in the wrong or have gaps in their life. But the Lord uses strong leaders to correct His People. Courageous leaders who can speak the truth in love. As a child before my mom’s death I remember going to church more than not. After her pasting the only time I went was to Sunday School or when family took me only if I spent the weekend at their homes. I never enjoyed it because I never had the right clothes to wear. Since I wasn’t a regular my wardrobe was light on nice and I felt awkward around those who were always dressed with their Sunday best and looked so well groomed. Feeling out of place it was hard also to build a relationship with the other kids; like an outsider transiting In and out from different doctrinal houses of worship on a monthly cycle. 

It wasn’t until my second year of College that I started the thought process of returning to the church, learning fully about the gaps and why of Faith and God. Wondering why the unhealthy habits of the world kept consuming my mind and getting into my journey; Was its clear brokenness, a lack of support that contributed to the drift from the thing we all needed most, “a love connection to God and a life centered on things He was trying to teach”. You see I had forgotten my early training as a child to be for Christ. I only just had to remember those old-old songs my mom had song to me that taught me how to focus on Him and what He is doing in my life. To this day, I enjoy singing,

“which lift’s my inner self for Christ, with the help of the Holy Spirit “.

“They must holdthe mystery of the faith with a clear conscience”.1 Timothy 3:9

What a Mystery, when we are touched or when someone is put in your life especially when you are having a really hard time wondering what to do next. This person a mentor/tutor on campus suggested two things:

First write a letter to God. Figuring I had nothing to lose, I did it very specific, detailed and heartfelt. Being completely fearful, drained after finishing but strangely things became much clearer in my mind.

Second, get involved in a bible class or take a religious course, He said,” but if you do speak up with love in your heart and ask questions always”. So, during my Jr year, I took a class called Group Dynamics dealing with and learning about your views about other religions. It turned out to be a Faith changing moment. We sat in a circle then, our teacher would throw out questions for discussion. One day, the teacher asked a question that shook me up:

“why does God let a drunk driver get away with his actions of killing, but a six-month-old baby dies of cancer?” Suddenly the class was no longer silent, this question started a huge discussion. Two answered I remember most:

 “maybe God is trying to get revenge on us for our sins.” 

“I think God wants us to be Buddhist because they believe in happiness.”

I looked at others in my class that I thought were Christians, realizing they were too afraid to speak up. My heart started pounding as I glanced nervously at a few students who appeared to be dozing or sleeping. Some of them probably thought they were too unemotional to answer. Out of nowhere, I articulated, “I don’t believe any of that.” Realizing that all heads had turned toward me, I contemplated not explaining myself as my teacher just looked at me. I was risking becoming “that Christian fanatic.” But suddenly, I felt the bravery to continue.

“I don’t think God chose to have the world filled with evil, but Satan and humans have shaped the world into the way it now is. We have a just and loving God”.

My teacher asked, waving his arms dramatically, “What about the baby? Shouldn’t God have ordered one of his angels to come save it?”. I can’t believe I answered the teacher with grace and without anger. “To be honest, I don’t have an answer for everything, but I know from the bible God doesn’t enjoy the pain we experience and HE didn’t make the world this way. It’s broken by sin, so maybe you should have stated your question differently.” I don’t think we can judge God on the evil of this world. Instead, I just have faith he is in control and will one day right the wrongs.”

The teacher moved onto a different question, I felt a feeling the whole class glaring at me but I had a rush of happiness, a sense that God was proud of what I had just done, and that this is why my mentor encouraged me to always ask question that were God honoring especially in tough moments

You see when Paul advises Timothy to appoint deacons who “hold to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience,” he is telling Timothy to find mature believers—men who understand the message of the gospel and are living it out. 

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!” (Romans 11:33). 

The message of Christ’s sacrifice for sin and His resurrection (the message that Paul refers to as “the faith”) is easy to understand. The basic gospel message is simple enough for even the youngest believer, but it is also a humbling mystery that was only hinted at throughout the time of the Old Covenant. Now God’s plan of salvation has been revealed in His Son, Jesus Christ, and we are held responsible to “hold” that message firmly.

Do you have someone who is currently filling in your gaps?  Do you have someone whose faith gaps you're helping to fill? My prayers are that you are able to feel the awesomeness of his love in your life as soon as you can rather than later.

“What’s Next”?

God’s Blessing and This Ministry!

Colossians 2:8 “So I May Run the Race”

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forcesof this world rather than on Christ.

The sport of Football has been an enormous spirit in my life ever sense Jr high school. And with this increase in my dedication to football there was a greater focus on weight training, conditioning and an attitude of being the best. When you see the difference that this weight training makes, it becomes easier to understand why some young people of today begin messing around with anabolic steroids. Imagine being told that this little pill would make you stronger and more menacing yet.

But there is a dilemma. Physicians have discovered that these steroids can have a bounce back effect. The same pill that at first made you stronger will devour away the body you thought you were developing. You ingest them, and they annihilate you. Not just for a few years, but for life. If you give in to the salesman who is hyping muscles in a bottle it could destroy you.

In Colossians 2 the Apostle Paul warns the people of Colosse that those who sell bottled doctrine may sound good and look harmless . . . but in fact they are pushing spiritual death. 

In chapter two the apostle encourages the Colossian church in their spiritual maturity. But even in the midst of this discussion he says that he is telling them these things so that "no one would deceive you by fine-sounding arguments." (2:4). He comes back to this idea again in verse 8. "See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ." Error was surrounding the Colossians. False teachers were ever-present and Paul wanted to guard these trusted followers.

Never has Paul's warning taken on a greater measure of urgency than the present. There has never been a time in the history of our country when there has been more diverse teaching going on. The mixture of religious ideas has become much more pronounced as they are mixed with many man-made ideas. You might be at an event with a follower of another religion on one side of you and a New Age devotee on the other. This is a difficult issue and I encourage you to work hard as we try to travel, think through this important command. This is not easy matter . . . but it is important.

Paul warns us to beware of hollow and deceptive philosophy. Now give notice that Paul does not tell us to beware of Philosophy in any form. The word "philosophy" means "lover of wisdom". This is a good thing. There are a number of people who will hear Paul's instruction and distrust anything that smells like a philosophical discussion. Paul was not against education or the discipline of philosophical inquiry. In fact, in the book of Acts we see Paul engage in philosophical debate of his own with the Greeks. 

What Paul does say is that we must beware of HOLLOW and DECEPTIVE philosophy. He is cautioning us that not every idea is a good idea. Not every new thought is a true thought or change for the sake of change may not be good either. In this age of information, it is increasingly important that we sort through the information and distinguish between that which is true and that which is false. Our times are much more dangerous than ever before. People are now experts on how to sell an idea. We are experts at packaging and presentation. And at this same time the discipline of logic has been abandoned and people are much less qualified to examine the propositions presented in such a slick fashion.

Paul further identifies this hollow and deceptive philosophy as that which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. The point is clear: a false teaching will always present itself as a new discovery of some hidden truth but is really something that comes from the mind of men. It has a common characteristic: it leads us to depend upon something or someone other than Christ. False teaching will always encourage us to be more dependent on ourselves, or our systems. They will always turn us gradually away from complete dependence on our Savior. 

The message of the Gospel is this: You matter to God! He sent His Son to die for you. Now He invites you to trust and receive Him as your Savior and your Leader for life. It is a matter of saying "Yes". "Yes, I will trust you to cleanse me, to remake me, and to bring me home. But wait, currently in my delusions, my heart feels broken from trust; during this time of hurt from a broken affiliation within the materialism of governance structure within this house of deception, I named the “company”; the message of the gospel has become clouded and my eyes and focus has been on “self “and not on God. At least at a minimal it requires taking one day at a time, praying for God’s guidance, and reading and meditating on God’s Word. This healing can never come from our own efforts, as we comprehend this; it comes only from the Lord, then we waken with a different uniform and comment:

“I have finished the race” which makes I for one reflect on Paul’s struggles in preaching the gospel of Christ and his victory over those struggles. (2 Timothy 4:7) You see every believer runs his own race (1 Corinthians 9:24). Each of us is enabled to be a winner. Paul exhorts us to “run in such a way as to get the prize,” and to do this we must set aside anything that might hinder us from living and teaching the gospel of Christ. 

It's simple. It's profound. It's life-changing. And though there are lots of philosophies that are attractive and seductive, none of them can do what this simple act of faith can do. There is only one way to where you really want to go. That way is Christ. Everything else is just a dead end. Choose your course carefully.

Although Paul addresses many areas, the basic application for us today is the total complete sufficiency of Christ in our lives, both for our salvation and our sanctification. We must know and understand the gospel so as not to be led astray by subtle forms of legalism and heresy. Christianity is a family, a way of life, and a relationship- for me and I hope for you not a religion. Good deeds, astrology, occultism and horoscopes do not show us God’s ways. Only Christ does. His will is revealed in His word, His love letter to us; we must get to know it!

God Bless You and This Ministry!